Coping
Kanan Jarrus felt so helpless. Standing shirtless in his room, he felt he couldn't do anything anymore, since being blinded. He was still trying to learn how to navigate his bedroom on the Ghost and the Ghost itself. He couldn't put his own shirt on. He couldn't comb out his hair. He couldn't even spread ointment on his healing scar because he always ended up poking himself in the still healing eye. That hurt.
"Hera!" he called. This is how his mornings went now. Hera helped him with a lot of things.
"Yes, I'm here, Luv," Hera walked into the room. "Need some help?" she asked. Kanan sighed.
"Yes, please," he answered, sounding defeated. Hera sighed knowingly and crouched to pull a shirt from the drawer under the bed.
"Arms up," she ordered, and when Kanan complied, she tugged the shirt over his head.
"Thanks," Kanan said quietly, ducking his head shamefully.
"Hey," Hera tipped his chin up, "don't be ashamed of your scar, 'kay? Now, what's next?"
"Could you...comb out my hair for me please?"
"Yes, I would love too," Hera replied cheerily, grabbing the comb out of the same drawer from which she had retrieved the shirt. She guided Kanan to the bottom bunk and had him sit on the floor. She sat behind him on the bed and ran the comb through his hair. Kanan winced when she tugged on a particularly painful snarl. "Sorry," she said, continuing her work. Finishing, she pulled his hair back in its usual pony-tail, securing it with an elastic that had been wrapped around the comb handle.
"Thank you," Kanan said, getting to his feet.
"Hey, where are you going? We're not finished yet." Hera pulled a small container of bacta out of her pocket and opened it. Kanan sighed and turned, allowing Hera to spread the medicine over his scar."Close your eyes," she said. Gently, ever so gently, she spread the bacta over the wound with two fingers. Kanan hissed in pain as the bacta started its healing process. "There you go," Hera said, putting the container of bacta back in her pocket and turning to walk out. Hearing her fading footsteps, Kanan cleared his throat.
"Where are you going?" he asked, taking a cautious step forward. Hera sighed.
"Please, Kanan? Just for today?"
"No."
"Please, luv? You look so handsome without it. That dang thing covers up your cute face."
"No, Hera. Where's my mask? And cute? I don't think so."
Hera sighed and walked back to him. Raising up on tiptoes, she placed a kiss on the scar. Then she took the mask that had been resting on the bottom bunk and fitted it over his face. Then she turned to go. Looking back over her shoulder, she said,
"Someday, Kanan Jarrus, I will make you take that mask off. And that day will come very soon."
...
I know it's not very long, but this came to mind after I posted I Love Your Scar yesterday. I hope you enjoyed!
